discrimination and prejudice as physiognomy depended on stereotypes to
generate its body of knowledge. This aspect Schiller actively seeks to
engage.
Lavater's system further contradicted itself in that he maintained
that man was born as a clean slate, and that it is ultimately the mind's
agency and the legibility of man's passions that mar the face and make it
an expression of the mind. His system posits that "Jeder
Gedankenzustand, jeder Empfindunszustand der Seele [...] seinen
Ausdruck auf dem Gesicht [hat]" (Lavater 1984). The mind, intangible
and unknown, was considered synonymous with the soul and thus it is
the soul that becomes visible through physiognomy. Yet the prevalent
issue with this line of thought is the manner of prejudice that it compels.
The physical markings of Christian's face are easily ascribed to physical
hardship. While Lavater asserts that all "moralisch-haSliche
Seelenzustande haben ha.Slich.en Ausdruck" (Lavater 1984), he does not
rule out the magnitude to which external factors can mar the phase. His
system, however, does promote reading the face as evidence of depravity
without consideration for the external contributing factors. Each
punishment physically manifests itself on Christian's body and in his
face, but does not reflect the mind imprinting itself on the face. Schiller
provides a very human mechanism for the changing condition of
Christian's face. His time in prison is detrimental to heath, both
physically and mentally. In addition, while this "Gewicht des Ungliicks"
96